Family First Quizzes Mayoral Candidates

Family First NZ has launched a website www.valueyourvote.org.nz which has asked the top five polling Auckland Super City Mayoral candidates about their views on a number of important family issues including alcohol outlets, street prostitution, offensive billboards, loan sharks and pokie machines.

“Most noticeable is that the top four candidates are unanimous that they will take strong action against alcohol outlets and trading hours, street prostitution, and loan sharks,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “This is especially encouraging when the politicians have been dragging their feet on these issues.”

Family First is also welcoming the response by John Banks, Colin Craig, and Andrew Williams that they will ‘introduce bylaws and lobby for G-rated public billboards with a pre-vetting system’.

“Unfortunately Len Brown is also not willing to join Banks, Craig and Williams in taking strong action to ban brothels in residential areas and near sensitive sites although he does comment that he is sympathetic to the concerns expressed. However, we are aware of many breaches of the Manukau bylaw,” says Mr McCoskrie.

Brown, Banks and Williams are keen to adopt a reducing lid policy on pokie machines, especially in low socio-economic areas, while Brown and Banks are both opposed to removing the GST on rates.

Williams and Craig are willing to ‘lobby the government to clarify offensive behaviour under the Crimes Act in order to prevent parades involving nudity and/or offensive behaviour eg boobs on bikes, beach nudity.’

Only Williams is willing to ban R18 exhibitions such as the Erotica Expo and the Arms Show (recently banned by the Waitakere City Council) from council owned buildings, while there are some interesting comments from all candidates around the area of affordable housing and development.

Overall, Andrew Williams (95%) has scored highest in the questionnaire followed by Colin Craig (83%). John Banks scored 68% compared to Len Brown’s 53%. Simon Prast was well below the bunch with 23%.

“We hope that this website will assist voters in Auckland to vote for a mayor who values the same things that they value as a family,” says Mr McCoskrie.
ENDS